Light · Protocol 5 of 5
Try red light for skin, cells and eyes
1In 30 seconds
Red, near-infrared and infrared light can soak into your skin and help your cells make energy. Use a red light panel or the low sun for 10 to 30 minutes, three to seven days a week, lighting as much skin as you can. For ageing eyes, a few minutes of red light in the morning once or twice a week may help.
2Picture it
3Why do it
- 1
Several trials show red and orange light can soften wrinkles, raise collagen and clear acne; in one, a red and blue routine cut acne spots by 81 per cent eight weeks later.
- 2
In one small study, 15 minutes of 670 nm red light on the back lowered blood sugar after a sweet drink by about 28 per cent.
- 3
People aged about 40 and over who viewed gentle red light in the morning saw colours better, with some improving by up to 20 per cent.
4How to do it
- Choose a light source that gives only long wavelengths of about 600 nm or longer; red, near-infrared and infrared together (600 to 850+ nm) work best.
- Light the largest area of skin, face and head that you can, front and back, for 10 to 30 minutes.
- Repeat three to seven days a week; sitting closer or staying longer makes up for a less powerful device.
- For eye benefits if you are 40 or older, face a red light source (never a laser) for 5 to 10 minutes, once or twice a week, within three hours of waking.
- Keep your eyes open or closed as you like, since red light passes through eyelids, but do not wear dark tanning goggles.
- On a budget, use the low sun near sunrise or sunset, which is rich in long wavelengths and low in UV.
5Make it work in India
- Panels are costly, so your cheapest red light source is the low sun: a sunrise walk in the local park or terrace time at dusk.
- Eating breakfast outdoors in morning sun or bright shade may add a small blood sugar benefit, on top of exercise and a good diet.
- If you buy a device, check the listed wavelengths and skip cheap units that also give off UV or come without safety details. For acne or pigmentation, see a dermatologist first.
6The long read: the science2 min read · tap to open
Inside nearly every cell sit mitochondria, the tiny power stations that make ATP, the fuel your cells run on. One of their key enzymes, called cytochrome c oxidase, can absorb red and near-infrared light. In a loose sense, this makes us a little bit solar powered.
When this enzyme soaks up long wavelength light, a few things seem to happen. The light energy helps drive the chain of reactions that makes ATP. It also knocks loose nitric oxide, a molecule that can clog the enzyme, so the cell uses oxygen better. Light may also help the melatonin made inside cells work as an antioxidant, mopping up the harmful by-products of making energy.
Long wavelengths are low in energy, so they do not damage DNA the way UV can. Yet they travel surprisingly deep, scattering up to 8 cm into the body and even passing through thin clothing.
Your eyes are a special case. Photoreceptors, the cells that catch light for vision, are the hungriest cells you have, using more energy than any other. Over the decades, their mitochondria wear down. In studies from Glen Jeffery’s lab in London, people around 40 and older who viewed 670 nm red light for three minutes a day saw colours better. It only worked when done in the morning, and younger people saw no change.
These results are exciting but early. Most studies are small, and many devices are expensive. The cheapest long wavelength source is still the morning or evening sun.
Early evidence Red light for acne and skin ageing has a fair number of small clinical trials, but the effects on blood sugar and eyesight come from only a handful of small studies.
Questions people ask
Is a red light panel safe for my eyes?
LED panels and red torches at a comfortable distance appeared safe in the studies. Never use a laser near your eyes, and stop if your eyes feel strained or sore.
Will a red light sauna replace a normal sauna?
Usually not. Most LED red light saunas do not get hot enough for the heart benefits of a traditional sauna, which runs at roughly 82 to 99 degrees Celsius.
Do I need a costly device?
No. Power differences matter less than adverts claim, because sitting closer or longer makes up for them. Low morning or evening sun is free and full of long wavelengths.
7Be careful
Never use a laser at home or shine one at your eyes, and do not stare into any bright source. Red light does not replace yearly eye checks, including eye-pressure tests for glaucoma, or treatment from your eye doctor. If you have an eye disease, a skin condition or epilepsy, are pregnant, or take medicines that make you light-sensitive, talk to your doctor first, and keep hot bulbs far enough away to avoid burns.
8Try it for 7 days
Tap a day each time you had red light session.
From the book: “Expose Your Skin and Eyes to Long Wavelength Light (Red, Near-IR, and Infrared)” (Light Protocol 5). Evidence rating and India notes are our own.